Lawton Police Department

The Lawton Police Department's Headquarters Division consists of Command Staff, Professional Standards and the Special Operations Section. Within the Command Staff is Chief James T. Smith, Assistant Chief James Apple, Deputy Chief William Hines (Non-Uniform Division) and Deputy Chief Rusty Wright (Uniform Division). The City of Lawton Emergency Communications (Dispatch) is also under the governance of the Chief of Police.

Vickie Ange is also assigned to the Headquarters Division. She is the secretary for the Chief's office and handles day to day calls and inquiries. She is responsible for maintaining all personnel files at the station. You may contact Mrs. Ange at (580) 581-3200 or vange@cityof.lawton.ok.us

Chief James T. Smith has over 30 years of comprehensive law enforcement experience that began in 1982. He served three years with the Kentucky State Police and 27 years with the Jefferson County Police, which merged into the Louisville Metro Police Department. James Smith has diverse experience in patrol, traffic, accident reconstruction, narcotics/vice, internal affairs, personnel training, community policing, budgeting and organizational leadership, just a few of the internal venues that contribute to make this career whole. Of the 30 plus years experience which he has, 24 years are in a command position having advanced through the ranks to the position of Major. In his last assignment with the Louisville Metro Police Department, he was the Special Operations Division Commander where he was responsible for directing the following units: SWAT, Hostage Negotiation Team, Special Response Team, Joint Emergency Services Unit, Dive Team, Dignitary Protection Team, Bomb Unit, Peer Support, Mounted Patrol, Canine Unit, Traffic Unit, Air Unit, Honor Guard, River Unit, Community Relations and Special Operations Team.

He also has military experience which has encompassed 30 years of commissioned service that included ten years in the Kentucky Army National Guard and the remainder with the United States Army Reserves; where he retired at the rank of Colonel in June of 2011. During his military career he served in various units and command positions which include Battalion Personnel Officer, Battalion Logistics Officer, Military Police Investigator and Division Anti Terrorism Officer. Additionally, he had command assignments in Korea, Germany, Bosnia and Iraq. In his last assignment he served as the Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer, working with FEMA and the Indiana National Guard.

Smith’s education includes Bachelor of Science in Police Administration with a minor in Military Science. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Southern Police Institute and Senior Management Institute for Police. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal and the Combat Action badge.

Assistant Chief James Apple began his career with the Lawton Police Department in January of 1980. During his 30+ years with the department Assistant Chief Apple was assigned to the Uniform Division as a patrolman and a Field Training Officer. He also served as a traffic officer and a member of the Traffic Action Program. In 1988 he transferred to the Education & Training Division where he served as a CLEET certified academy instructor and a Crime Prevention Officer. He was instrumental in the beginning of the department's D.A.R.E. program and became national certified as a D.A.R.E. Mentor. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and reassigned back to the Uniform Division. In December of 2001, he was promoted to Captain where he served as a Watch Commander.

Assistant Chief Apple has served as the Department's Federal Highway Safety and Project Under 21 (Too Much to Lose) Program Director, the Department's Fleet Supervisor, the Uniform Division's Supply Officer, and the K-9 Unit Supervisor.

He was promoted to Deputy Chief on October 2, 2006. As the Uniform Division Commander, Assistant Chief Apple was in charge of the Uniform Division including being directly in charge of the department's Gang Unit and the department's Tactical Team.

On January 8, 2010 he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief of Police. On January 10, 2010 Assistant Chief Apple retired from the Lawton Police Department as a commissioned officer. On January 11, 2010 he began his duties as the Assistant Chief, returning to the department. In his current position as the Assistant Chief of Police he assists in the planning, coordination, supervision and evaluation of the police department operations.

Assistant Chief Apple holds both an Associate Degree and a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Cameron University. Assistant Chief is a graduate of the 221st session of the FBI National Academy , Quantico , Virginia .

Assistant Chief Apple is an Eagle Scout (class of 1975), a 32nd degree Mason, and a recipient of the Camp Fire Sebago Award. He is a member of the Lawton Heights United Methodist Church where he serves on the Board of Trustees, Staff-Parish Committee, and the Finance Committee. Assistant Chief Apple was selected as the 2005 LPD Supervisor of the Year.

Deputy Chief Hines attended several schools around the country until his parents settled in Lawton. He graduated from Lawton High School and earned his Associates and Bachelor Degrees from Cameron University.
He was hired by the Lawton Police Department in January of 1989, where he attended Lawton Police Academy # 6. After graduating from the academy, Hines was assigned as a patrol officer until he was transferred to the training division, where he served as a DARE Officer for 4 years.

He has also served as a detective, patrol supervisor, detective supervisor, patrol shift commander and CID commander during his career. He is a polygraph examiner for LPD, conducting both criminal exams and pre-employment exams. He is a graduate of the 244th session of the FBI National Academy.
On January 11, 2010, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief and assigned as Uniform Division Commander. He is currently assigned as the Deputy Chief over the Non-Uniform Division.

Deputy Chief Rusty Wright was hired by the Lawton Police Department in January 1987. He was promoted to Deputy Chief on March 7, 2011 and is currently in charge of the Uniform Division. The special teams under him are: Lake Patrol/Dive Team, Traffic Section/Motor Unit, Gang Unit, Tactical Team, K-9 officers, Bicycle officers.

During his more than 25 years of service, he has worked as a police officer, tactical team member and in Special Operations. As a Supervisor he has worked as a Patrol Supervisor, Criminal Investigations Supervisor, a Tactical Team Supervisor, the Tactical Team Commander and a Watch Commander.

Deputy Chief Wright has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, Advanced CLEET Certification and is a FBI National Academy graduate of class #232. He is an Oklahoma CLEET instructor, a firearms instructor and submachine gun instructor.

Lieutenant Chris Hall was hired by the Lawton Police Department in 1995. During his initial
years in the Uniformed Patrol Division he served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer,
Bike Patrol Officer and with the Community Oriented Policing Unit.
While serving as a Community Oriented Policing Officer Hall was a part of the federally funded
“Weed and Seed” initiative. This was a U.S. Department of Justice program designed
to assist designated high-crime neighborhoods to “weed” out the criminal element and “seed”
the area with social programs. While assigned to this specialized unit Hall was recognized for
his work by the Oklahoma Regional Community Policing Institute (ORCPI). In March 2000 Hall
received the ORCPI’s Community Policing Officer Award for his exemplary service.

In 2003 Lieutenant Hall was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) where he
served as a Detective. Hall was assigned to the Crimes Against Persons unit and worked major cases
such as computer crimes, felony assaults, robberies, suspicious deaths, sexual assaults, and
homicides. During his tenure as a Detective in CID, Hall worked on several notable cases. In November
2009 Hall was directly responsible for ending the extensive crime spree of 22 year-old Donnell
Devon Smith. Smith was convicted of 26 felony counts to include robbery, kidnapping and sexual assault which culminated in six life sentances plus an additional 285 years. Hall was also able to get the case against Xavier Deangelo Adams refiled. This case stemmed from a double homicide and upon the filing of charges, Adams eventually pled guilty to two consecutive life sentances.

In 2010 Hall transferred to the Training Division and served as the department’s Training
Coordinator from 2010 to 2012. In this capacity Hall was responsible for the monthly inservice
training of the department’s sworn personnel. Hall also maintained the training files
for all officers, taught in the department’s police academy and played an integral role in the
recruitment, selection and hiring process of new officers.
In May 2012 Hall was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. After a brief stint in the Uniform
Patrol Division, Hall was transferred to Headquarters Division and assigned as the Professional
Standards Supervisor.

Lieutenant Hall has many certifications in the field of Law Enforcement, to include
specialized training in Crime Scene Investigation, Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Homicide
Investigation, the Forensic Interviewing of Children, Child Neglect & Child Fatality Cases, and
Interview and Interrogation. Hall holds an Advanced Peace Officer Certification from the
Council on Law enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) and is a certified CLEET Instructor.

Lt. Williams began his career with the Lawton Police Department in 1994 after serving with the Comanche County Sheriff's Office and the District III Drug Task Force. While with Lawton, he has worked in Patrol, K-9, Gang Ofifcer and in COP. He also served time on the Honor Guard as buglar. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2007. In February 2014, Lt. Williams was transfered to the Special Operations Section.

Special training includes FBI Observer/Sniper School, Basic Police INstructor, Radar/Lidar Instructor and OBNDD Drug Enforcement Academy. He has received the United States Police Canine Association REgional K-( Handler of the Year Award and has been awarded the Lawton-Fort Sill Community Coalition Asset Builder Award.

Mr. Derrell Morgan is in charge of the Emergency Communications Division. Derrell Morgan began his career with the Lawton Police Department in November 2004. Mr. Morgan has 16 years of communications center experience. He served eight years with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol prior to coming to the Lawton Police Department. Mr. Morgan is an APCO certified Telecommunicator, Communications Training Officer, and is certified through the National Academy as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher and in Quality Assurance. Mr. Morgan is also a trained Communications Center Manager and Public Information Officer and Emergency Manager.

He also served as a United States Marine from 1985 to 1991. He served with the 1st Battalion 5th Marines during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Mr. Morgan’s education includes a Bachelor of Accounting from Cameron University.

The Emergency Communications Division is located in building 900 at the Great Plains Technology Center. The Emergency Communications Division, more commonly known as Dispatch, is responsible for receiving all calls for citizens needing an officers assistance, whether to report a crime or they need other assistance. The Emergency Communications Division not only is the dispatch center for Lawton, it also hanldes the dispatching of Sheriff Deputies and Military Police as well as Fire Emergencies.

The Emergency Communication Division also houses the Emergency Operations Center for the City in the case there is a storm or event that may need consolidated coordination between various entities around the City or County. The Emergency Operations Center has the ability to bring together all Agencies into one location so resources can be identified and utilized to serve citizens during an event.

The Emergency Communications Division or Derrell Morgan and he can be reached at (580) 581-3492 or by email at dmorgan@cityof.lawton.ok.us.